Reel



J. G. COO K REEL Filed March 18, 1919- Patented Sept. 30, 1924.

iJNHTED STATEg PATENT @FFEQE.

JOHN G. COOK, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO KLAXON COMPANY, A COR- PORATION OF DELAWARE.

REEL.

Application'filed March 18, 1919. Serial No. 283,327.

ularly adapted for conductors for telephones used in automobiles.

In accordance with one feature of my invention I employ a spool having metallic end portions and a shaft having metallic end portions adapted to be engaged respectively by the metallic end portions of said spool, and terminals electrically connected to the end portions of said shaft so as to form an electrical connection between said terminals and the elements of a conducting cable connected to the end ortions of said spool. Another feature of my invention consists in making the shaft rotatable so that'it can be turned to wind up the conductor upon said spool and to adjust the tension of the winding springs, means being provided for holding said shaft against to rotation under the action of said springs after the tension has been adjusted. An-

other feature consists in mounting the reel in a support from which it can be easily removed and the utilization of the side parts of said support as portions of the electric circuit. Another feature consists in providing means whereby the cable on the reel can be easily changed after the reel is iii-- stalled. Another feature consists in making a spool having struck-up metallic ends provided with integral portions which limit the expansion of the winding springs. To these ends and also to improve generally upon devices of the character indicated my invention consists in the various matters hereinafter described and claimed.

The following is a description of an embodiment of my invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. .1 shows a front view of the reel in its case with the coverof the case removed; i

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the case with the cover in place;

Fig.3 is a section of the reel on the line 3-3, Fig. 1, the cable being partially unwound;

Fig. 4 is a detail showing the rear of the case with the reel therein;

Fig. 5 is a detail partly broken away, of the reel support;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the end discs of the reel, and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail view of one of the connectors to which the conductors are secured.

Fig. .8 is a View of a portion of the reel showing the flexible links connected thereto and Fig. 9 is a detail view of the arm for adjusting the spring tension.

Referring more particularly to the'drawings, 1-1 are metallic side members of the reel support or carrier having inwardly projecting lugs 2-2 and lugs or tongues 3-3, the lugs 2-2 being secured near the ends of a semi-cylindrical supporting plate a by screws 5 and the lugs 3-3 being secured to the plate 4 by bolts 6-6, which also serve as binding posts. The screws 5 and the binding posts 6-6 are insulated from the backing 1 by suitable bushings, and the end plates 1-1 are also separated from said plate by a sheet of insulation 7 so as to beinsulated from one another. The

outer ends of the binding posts 6, 6 protrude through a block of insulation 8 which extends through a slot in a casing made up of two parts 9, 9, the heads of which are lined with insulation 9. plate 4 is secured to this casing by two screws 10-10, which pass through holes in the member 9 and slots in the member 9 and serve to hold the reel carrier in place and also to secure the cover member 9 upon the other member 9. 9 is a guide carried by the member 9 and against which a cut-away portion of the part 9 abuts.

The supports 1-1 are cut away so as to provide projecting tongues 11, which are provided with round holes for the shaft of the reel. The projecting tongues 11-11 can be sprung outward so as to permit the re moval or insertion of the shaft after which they resume their original positions. The plate 4: and end plates 1-1' form a partial housing, open at one side to allow insertion of the reel. The reel shaft comprises a cylindrical body portion of insulating material and metal end caps or trunnions The supporting outwardly and forming stops for limiting the expansion of springs 19 located within them. The outer ends of each of these springs are connected to one of these lugs by being looped around, as at 20, Fig. 1, while the other ends are secured to the corresponding ends of the shaft by anchorages or clips 21 having body portions passing over the axial. stud extensions 22, 22 thereof, these clips lying within the end plates, 1-1. Upon the front end of. the shaft (Fig. 1) outside the side plate of the carrier and fitting its axial stud projection 22 is an arm 23 having a yieldable portion 24F adapted to engage the forward edge of the corresponding end plate 1 when moved in one direction and to slide over the edge of said end plate 1 when moved in the other direction in the manner of a pawl. By this means the shaft can be revolved so as to increase the tension of the springs, as desired, or the reel can be revolved so as to wind the cable thereon. at is an extension cord or cable wound upon the reel, the same consisting of two insulated conductors or wires, one of which is electrically connected to the end disc or cheek '15 while the other is connected to the other end disc or cheek These connections are made through two links 25 (Fig. 7 each having its inner end secured by a fastening screw 17 to one of the lugs 16 on the discs 1515. The links 25 are composed of spring brass wire. Each link 25 is surrounded by a little section of rubber tubing 26 and terminates in a hook 27. Fastened to the links at points adjacent tothe hooks are screw-threaded blocks 28 withlsleeves 29 preferably of insulating materia length: that they extend nearly around the body of the spool, so that when the conductor is removed the hooks 27 will spring out slightly beyond the peripheries of the disks- 15-15. In connecting the conductors the sleeves 29 are screwed to the left, Fig. 7 ,1 until the hook is exposed, whereupon the loop 30 is hooked over hook 27 and the threaded sleeve restored to the position The conductors are provided with loops 30. The spring links 25 are of suchv the cover 9, after it is mounted in the automobile. This is of advantage since purchasers of such reels desire conductors of a color which will match the interior fittings of the automobile and by this means a cord of any color can be applied to any reel after it is assembled or after it is installed. To accomplish this it is simply necessary toremove the cov'er 9 of the case, pass the terminals of the conductor through the guide 9 of the casing, loop them over the hooks 27, adjust the sleeve 29 and then wind up the conductor by means of the arm 23 and by said arm also adjust the springs 19-to the desired tension. The arm 23 serves to hold the shaft and trunnions from revolving under the action of the springs 19 andthus fixes the anchorages for the inner ends of the springs. The metallic end discs or cheeks 15-15 being insulated from one another, and each being in electrical contact with one of the trunnions 13-13" ofthe stationary shaft, and, the two strands of the flexible conductor being respectively secured to one of the end discs or cheeks 15 -15, two conducting paths are establishech one from the binding post 6, tongue 3, end plate '1, shaft end 13,.end disc or cheek 15 to one element of the conductor, and the other from the binding post6, tongue 3, the end plate 1, shaft end 13, cheek 15, to the other element of the flexible conductor. The bore'of the member 14 is of such size that it does not contact with the supporting shaft, with the result that the end discs or cheeks 1515f are always in engagement'withthe respective trunnions 13-443 of the shaft.

In this way a simple, yet durable, reel is produced, capable of being easily assembled and adjusted as to its tension and to which a conductor can beeasily attached or removed after the reel. is assembled or even after it is installed.

As will be evident. to those skilled in'the art, my invention permits of various modifications Without departing from the spirit thereofor the scope of the appended claims. What I claim is: j 1. In a device of the character-described, a spool comprising metal end discs connected by an insulating hub, an extension cord confined on the spool. by the discs and having wires connected to the discs, asemicircular supporting plate oonforming to and enclosing one half of the periphery of the spool, end plates, insulated from'wthe supporting plate and forming therewith an open sided housing allowing insertion of the: spool, binding posts extending through the supporting plate and. connected .to the end plates, and metal trunnions supported in the end plates and supporting the end discs for rotation thereon; substantially as described.

ice

2. In a device of the character described,

a spool comprising metal end discs 001inected by an insulating hub, an extension cord confined on the spool between the discs ,and having wires connected to the discs, a

semicircular supporting plate conforming to and enclosing a portion of the periphery of the spool, end plates having tongues projecting towards each other parallel to the supporting plate, insulation between the tongues and the support, binding posts holding the tongues and insulation against the supporting plate, said supporting plate and end plates forming an open sided housing allowing insertion of the spool, and metal trunnions supported in the end plates and rotatably supporting the end discs; substantially as described.

3. in a device of the character described, a support, a spool mounted to revolve relatively thereto, flexible links fixed at one end to the hub of the spool and adapted to extend out to the periphery of the spool when unwound, an extension cord comprising flexible conductors, and a coupling for securing the conductors to the outer ends of said links; substantially as described.

l. In a device of the character described, a support, a spool mounted to revolve rela tively thereto, lengths of normally straight spring material flexing when wound upon the spool and automatically straightening out when unwound, an extension cord comprising fiexible conductors, and means for securing the conductors to the outer ends of said lengths of spring material; substantially as described.

5. In a device of the character described, a cylindrical casing comprising a relatively fixed section and a cover section detachable from the fixed section, a reel support carried by the casing and including insulated spring tongues, a shaft comprising a body portion of insulating material and metal end caps therefor formed with axial studs engaging openings in said spring tongues, said reel comprising a hub of insulating material with opposite cheek members secured to the face of the hub and journalled directly on the exteriors of the respective end caps, thereby insuring perfect electrical contact;

substantially as described.

6. In a device of the character described, a spool comprising metal end discs having struck up lugs secured to the periphery of an insulating hub, an extension cord confined on the spool between the end discs and having wires fastened to said lugs, means for rotatably supporting the discs, and binding posts having electrical connection to the discs; substantially as described.

7. In a device of the character described, a spool comprising metal end discs connected by an insulating hub, an extension cord confined on the spool between the discs and having wires connected to the discs, trunnions rotatably supporting said discs, means for conducting current to said trunnions, lugs extending from one of said discs near the periphery, and a spiral spring confined against outward spreading by said lugs and secured at the inner end to one of said trunnions, to rotate said spool when the spring is under tension; substantially as described,

8. In a device of the character described, a spool comprising metal end discs connected by an insulating hub, an extension cord confined on the spool by the discs and having wires connected to the discs, a support, trunnions rotatably supporting said end discs and mounted to turn in the support, a spring secured to one of said trunnions and to one of said discs to turn the spool, and means for adjustably fixing said trunnions to said support to adjust the spring tension; substantially as described.

JOHN G. COOK. 

